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Every matchup is crucial from here on in, with some enormous results in the fourteenth week that may decide postseason positions by the end of the season.

A 42-year Aaron Rodgers struck a major blow to the Baltimore Ravens' postseason aspirations, whereas the Buffalo Bills quarterback virtually ended the Cincinnati Bengals' hopes. At the same time, the Houston Texans defence presented a huge problem and may have concluded the Chiefs' campaign earlier than ever in the Patrick Mahomes tenure.

The Breakdown: Division Deciders Live Up To the Expectations

Three critical divisional battles delivered.

Seasoned quarterback Aaron Rodgers, competing with a fractured wrist, steered his squad to a gritty 27-22 victory in Baltimore. He recorded his initial rushing score in nearly three years, however it was his long passes to his top receiver that made the difference.

Lamar Jackson was out of kilter as Baltimore missed crucial chances—although they were left fuming by a fourth-quarter touchdown being nullified. The two franchises will meet once more on the last day of the season.

In another, the oldest rivalry in the NFL witnessed a epic encounter. Even with touchdown deep passes, an worn-out defense had to stop another fourth-quarter rally from the visiting rookie QB in the freezing weather.

The outcome gave one side a slender advantage in their division, while the losers dropped from the NFC's number one seed down to outside the playoff picture.

In-Depth Look: What Has Gone Awry for the Chiefs?

Projections assign the Chiefs only a 15% chance of reaching the postseason. In all likelihood, this will be the initial missed post-season for franchise QB Patrick Mahomes—and the first for the organization in a decade.

During Mahomes' seven complete seasons as a starter, he has advanced to seven AFC Championship contests and five Super Bowls. That means the club has competed in nearly each possible game throughout his tenure.

Therefore, the reasons for the current failure are evident and were encapsulated during Sunday's loss. Absences ravaged an already struggling O-line, with multiple starters missing.

Even then, Mahomes provided his squad a fighting chance, however failed field goals and costly dropped passes—such as on a pivotal fourth down attempt—confirmed their fate.

In Focus: Could the Super Bowl Be Destined for the Western US?

A pair of top contenders from the West Coast conferences are making strong cases for Super Bowl contention.

One squad, atop their the AFC, won the last Super Bowl played at this year's stadium. They are built on a dominant defense that tops the NFL in quarterback takedowns and victories through methodical, long possessions.

The second contender, leading the other conference, showcased an high-powered offence capable of putting points on the board from any situation. They boast a two-headed ground attack to pair with an exceptional passing game.

The question could be if the potent offense can withstand the relentless pressure of the elite defensive unit—a a fascinating potential matchup.

Discussion: A Star Tight End Pondering Calling It Quits?

Amid the fallout from the Kansas City's loss, comments from the quarterback about his star teammate sparked speculation about a possible retirement.

Hearing him state, "each season... I try to appreciate because you never know" definitely seemed like he was bracing for the veteran to call it a day.

"He will have the choice to do whatever he wants to do after this season," he added. If the year concludes prematurely for the team, the three-time Super Bowl winner could choose to retire.

Looking Ahead: Buffalo vs. New England Headlines the Upcoming Slate

The Bills' quarterback did it all again for his team in a snowy win. He threw 3 scores and rushed for one more, accounting for a staggering portion of his team's total touchdowns this season.

He is the only player in NFL history with three thousand pass yards, 20 touchdown passes and ten rushing scores in 3 consecutive campaigns.

Now, he puts the team on his shoulders again as they aim to chase down their AFC East rivals, the Patriots—coincidentally, they are precisely who they play next.

Major Upcoming Week Games:

• Bills @ Patriots
• Lions @ Los Angeles Rams
• Green Bay Packers @ Broncos
• Chargers @ Chiefs

This Week's Statistical Highlights

• A kickoff runback for a 100-yard score—the longest scoring play of the year—kick-started a second-half onslaught for one offense.
• A star receiver caught 2 scores and is still tracking for a historic 2,000-yard season.
• A dominant pass rusher recorded his twentieth QB sack of the season, moving within reach of the single-season record.
• An overseas kicker played a key role for his squad in a surprise victory in soggy weather.
• A offense that was shutout one game responded with a shutout of its own the following week.
• A reeling franchise watched its franchise QB return from injury, only to exit the game again with a related injury.